Betcha thought I'd forgotten about this story, eh? Nah, not me... just been super duper busy. And I only just got back from Florida (we've been there all vaca). I had no time to really write, because even though we drove down, I didn't plan ahead, and I didn't bring a notebook. And my sis wouldn't let me use her comp because she was writing her own stuff, and my brother was just driving me crazy the whole time, and it was just... just a really BIG headache. The whole trip kinda stunk. But w/e... I'm back home now, with a teensy bit of time to write.
Now, let's see, where did I leave off... oh yes, she'd just jumped off the cliff...
Disclaimer: I own something at last!!! Keisha and Nikkos are MINE, all MIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNEEEEEE!!!!! But, everything else belongs to the great Sherwood Smith, or my sister. BUT I OWN KEISHA AND NIKKOS!!! WOOT WOOT!
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I was still smiling jovially by the time I reached the stables. My horse, Aya, snorted softly at me as I unsaddled her and started to brush her down. I think secretly she likes my pranks as much as I do, and just pretends to be annoyed with me. Her mother –my very first horse- was like that too. But I was worse when I was a small child; I was what you would call I terror! I like to think that I've matured since then... at least a teeny bit!
As I carefully checked for burrs or anything else that might have gotten caught in Aya's soft brown coat, I heard footsteps behind me. I half-turned, to catch one of the older stable-hands approaching out of the corner of my eye. I brushed a strand of reddish-brown hair from out of my face with my elbow, then righted myself and turned to face him.
"Up to tricks again, Lin?" he asked, trying to keep his face carefully blank, but I could just catch the corners of his mouth twitching.
I made a little mock-bow. "Whatever else, good sir Keaton?" Nikkos Keaton was only about six or so years older than myself, with warm brown eyes and a handsome face that made him quite popular among the Athanarel's girls and women. He and I had always had an odd sort of friendship, mostly based upon our shared love of horses. I also liked the way he didn't treat me like a dainty little princess, but as just another rider. Sometimes being royalty is more of a pain than a blessing.
"Which was it this time, and to whom?" he asked, keeping his sober expression, with the exception of the smile I saw in his eyes.
"It was the cliff-trick, and I don't know who he was. Just another noble's son, I presume, probably coming to sample the palace-life, most likely even being preened to become another court decoration," I said, using my and Amiri's favorite name for the foolish court fops. Not to imply that they were all buffoons, for the majority of them were intelligent, worthy human beings, but getting bad among the good is inevitable, especially when it comes to courtly things. The best targets for jokes were the decorations.
"Hmm, you haven't played that one in some time," Nikkos commented blithely.
"Yes, I know," I concurred. "Haven't had the opportunity until today. But I do believe that I made up for lost time... I think I scared the boy witless!"
"Your mother won't be happy, you know," Nikkos told me, narrowing his brown eyes.
"Well," I said, twirling a lock of my auburn hair round my finger idly, "what mother doesn't find out won't hurt her, hmm?"
Nikkos could only laugh. "I don't know where you came from, little imp." He rubbed Aya's nose and gave me a little half-bow, and with no further ado, turned and strolled away, to look after the other horses in the stable. I finished up with Aya, then also took my leave, wandering out and up onto the paths that led to the palace; my home.
One thing you have to know about the palace at Remalna-City; it's absolutely stunning. I mean, for a building, it's a nice as they come. Despite how much I may complain that I can never get out of it enough, I genuinely do enjoy the palace. It's mostly just some of the people inside it that are maddening.
As I walked in through the servants entrance, expecting to find it empty at this time of day, I discovered most unpleasantly that I had miscalculated. It must have been later than I thought, because maids were getting out silverware and plates and arranging pillows for dinner, and I could smell delicious aromas wafting in from the kitchen where Cook was undoubtedly pulling out all the stops. I hoped that I could make it through the throng of people unnoticed, as just another person, but I was wrong.
"Liniare!" I froze as I heard my name shrieked out in the hallway. People parted to let the speaker through, and I could hear the tell-tale heavy footsteps of my keeper. Well, former keeper, anyways, as I'm too old for one now. But just try telling her that... she still acts as if I'm the eight year old girl sneaking frogs into people's beds. As if I would really do such a thing... I'm a much too experienced joker for something that simple anymore.
"Liniare, what in the god's name have you been doing?" I turned to see Keitha clutching her five-pointed star relic that she always wears on a chain round her neck. Keitha's a very religious woman. At just barely five feet, she's the most ferocious, determined, little woman I've ever known. She has brown, coppery skin and brown hair that falls in waves to her shoulders. Her eyes are a peculiar shading, brown, but with a reddish hue, like mahogany. I imagine that she must have been very pretty in her youth, though as the years have gotten on, so has her weight. She's a plump woman now, with a soft spot for sweets and Cook. I keep telling her she should just marry him and be done with it, and then she blushes something terrible and tells me I don't know what I'm talking about, then hurriedly tries to change the subject. It's actually rather amusing.
"Why, good morning, Keisha!" I said brightly, flashing a winning smile in her direction.
"Oh no, don't you 'good morning, Keisha,' me! Where have you been? You're a mess, and it's almost time for dinner! The guests will be here any moment, and here we have the princess running around like a common farmer's daughter! Where did you get that bruise!"
As she gasped, I turned to inspect the area she'd pointed at. There was, indeed, a deep purple bruise forming quite nicely on my arm.
"Must've gotten that when I fell," I mused, more for my ears than for my keeper's.
"You fell!" she gasped, and I could see the telltale color that always rose in her cheeks when she was getting ready to give me a first-class scolding.
"Oh, will you look at the time! You know I'd love to stay here and talk with you for hours, Keisha, I really would, but, alas!" I struck my most dramatic Player's pose, "I must ready myself for the guests... wouldn't want any of our nobles or foreign dignitaries think we've a wild princess, now, would we?" I waggled my eyebrows at her and then, before she could reply, I was gone.
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I will be the first to tell you that despite my dislike of court functions, I have a semi-secret passion for dresses and gowns. I don't know quite what it is about them that I like, but I have a collection that's grown somewhat monstrous. Certainly one closet isn't big enough to hold them all.
I combed through my section of dinner and party gowns. I could choose from one or the other, because I knew that after dinner, mother and father were planning to invite our guests into the ballroom for dancing.
After much debate, I finally selected a deep blue –almost black- gown with faceted snowstones patterned all down the front. My new silvery slippers went perfectly with the ensemble, which was just as well, for I'd been wanting to try them out for ages. I decided to let my hair down to flow freely down my back. My hair's no where near as long as my mother's, but it does go to about the middle of my back. I inherited the red-brown color from mother, however, my hair has nothing of her curls; it's as stick-straight as my father's.
My maid Diara helped me arrange snowstone clips in my hair. Each clip had a blue and silver ribbon trailing down from it that matched beautifully and gave the ensemble a "complete" look.
"Not too shabby," I assessed as I looked at my reflection in my mirror. I liked the way the gown showed off what little curves I had.
"My lady looks very nice tonight," Diara agreed softly. She's a sweet girl, only a few years older than me, but the quietest thing you'll ever meet. I swear, if I ever hear her speak above a whisper, I'll die of shock.
"Thank you, Di," I said, using the nickname that I have no idea whether or not she likes. Even if she hated me calling her that, she'd never say anything; she's too shy. "Well, I'd best get off, I'm sure mother and father are waiting for me." With no more ado I scampered off, careful not to trip over the long hem of my gown as I went.
I found my family in the main entryway, waiting for our guests and all looking fine indeed. Father and mother were dressed regally in blue-black and silver respectively, both with circlets crowning their heads. There were traces of Remalna's colors in their outfits, like the golden trim of father's robes, and the emeralds patterned in mother's hair and around her throat.
Next to them were my brother and sisters. M brother, Alaeric, was looking his dashing self in robes of deep crimson, beautifully offsetting his blonde hair and gray eyes. I swear, he looks exactly like our father. The only difference is, Alaeric loves wearing bold, flashy colors that get him attention, most specifically attention from the young lady courtiers. I knew that he was hoping some pretty young thing would be walking through the doors tonight. Alaeric's an undeniable flirt.
Besides him waited my sisters, Elestra and Oria. Elestra's older than me by a year and a half, and she thinks she knows everything there is to know. Oria's the baby of the family, a full six years younger than me. Elestra was bedecked in a pale gold gown, with moonstones embroidered everywhere and her strawberry-blonde hair falling in ringlets down her back. The gown fitted her perfectly, and it was hard to not be jealous of her practically perfect figure.
Oria, smiling brightly at me as I approached, wore a dining gown of a lovely viridian shade, her cheeks rosy and her red-blonde hair arranged atop her head. She was the picture of sweetness and innocence.
"Liniare, so nice of you to finally join us," mother said trying to sound severe, but I could see the smile in her eyes even at this distance.
"You know me mother," I said by way of reply, adding in a mock-curtsey.
"Unfortunately, we all do," I heard Elestra mutter. I stuck my tongue out at her; childish, but somehow, completely rewarding.
"Girls," my mother warned. Elestra straightened immediately, but I plastered a grin on my face and flounced over to them.
"Are they almost here?" I asked, not really caring who the particular 'they' was, as long as it was one of the guests we'd invited.
"Almost," my father, the king, said calmly as he looked at me. To almost everyone, his face is unreadable unless he chooses otherwise. Mother always used to tell us stories of how irritated that used to make her, and how she suspected that sometimes he did it intentionally just to tease her. She must have gotten better over the years though, for now she's just about the only person who can really read him.
"Good," I answered, straightening my skirts. "I hate waiting."
Almost as one, my family replied, "We know." I only grinned. Alaeric always joked that it was a good thing I wasn't the heir, because I'd be too impatient to run a country. I must say, I agree most wholeheartedly. Plus, the whole thing is just far too much responsibility for my liking.
At that moment, servants who had been previously invisible sprang to open the great double-doors. In walked some of my most favorite people of all; my uncle Bran hand-in-hand with Aunt Nee, followed by their children. There was the eldest, Kessia, their two sons, Hastin and Bran Jr. who were both right around my age, and then the youngest, little Chaylee. But where was...
"Lin!" My eyes locked on the fast-moving, dark-haired figure that was making a bee-line right at me.
"Miri!" I exclaimed as we met and embraced tightly.
"Oh, Lin, I haven't seen you in ages!" Amiri said into my shoulder. I laughed.
"I know! It's been far too long, it really has! I've got so much to tell you, but," we looked around at our families who were both greeting each other jovially, and then to the doors where the servants were letting in more guests, "I think we'll have to put it off for a little while."
Amiri rolled her eyes, catching my meaning. "Duty calls," she muttered as we both went to join the throng of glittering courtiers and their children, plastering smiles on our faces. If I hadn't had specific instructions from my father to be on perfect behavior, then this really would have been a prime opportunity for trying out some new pranks.
"What's this? Life! This isn't little Liniare, is it?" I felt my feet lifting off the ground as my Uncle Bran lifted my up and swung me around. That's one of the good things about being small; people can still pick you up.
"It's me, Uncle Bran," I giggled as he set me back down on the ground.
"Look at her, Nee," Uncle Bran gestured at me as Aunt Nee smiled warmly. "Practically a woman grown. Makes you feel old, doesn't it?"
"Speak for yourself," Nee said loftily as her beautifully painted fan fluttered in her hands. "You look stunning, sweet," she said as she wrapped me up in a swift but tight hug.
"Thank you," I grinned. "You do too... that dress is amazing!" It was too, with a beautifully embroidered bodice and long, sweeping skirts, all in warm brown and green hues that brought out the color in her face.
At that point, everyone was ushered into the dining hall, where two long, low tables were set, with the best cushions artfully arranged and waiting for the guests. On table was for the adults, the other for the children ages a little younger than me and up. There was a third table for the very young, with the not-so-fancy cushions that would not be a problem if things were spilled on them.
I sat near the head of the second table because of my rank, with Amiri to my left and Hastin on my right.
"Oh, Miri, I pulled the cliff trick again today!"
"Really?" Amiri's brown eyes sparkled with delight. "Oh, I wish we had a cliff like that one back at Tlanth! That has to be one of my favorite pranks of all... it's so fun looking at people's faces!"
"I know!" I exclaimed, unfolding my napkin in my lap.
"So," Amiri said as she tucked a strand of curly brown hair behind her ear, "who was it this time?"
"Actually, I don't know. Some boy I've never seen."
"Was he cute?"
"Amiri!" I swatted her on the arm and her eyes glinted wickedly.
She threw her hands up into the air. "What?" she asked, "it was a valid question!"
"Honestly, Amiri, if I didn't know you better, I'd say that you're just as bad as Elestra and her friends, always thinking about the young men."
"You know, it might do you some good to think of them now and again too," she said, with a knowing look on her face. "I know these things, youngling." Amiri is several years older than me, just slightly younger than Elestra, in fact. Every so often, she enjoys teasing me about being the younger one, usually when she wants to "impart wisdom" upon the "younger, inexperienced cousin."
"Life, Amiri! It's not like I've never had a flirt."
"I know, but you never were really twoing with any of them. It was like you'd get bored with them all within a few days."
I shrugged as I lowered my spoon into my soup. "That's because I do. I don't know... there's just no interesting men around here. I can't find anyone that can keep up with me." I knew the last statement was a little cocky, but I also knew that Amiri would understand what I meant. Most of the eligible young men we knew just weren't looking for prank-loving, adventurous princess with magic-potential. It's tough luck, but that's just how things are.
"Hmm." Amiri nibbled absentmindedly on a crust of bread. She looked across the table and, for the first time, we both noticed the empty seat across from us.
"Who's supposed to be sitting there?" Amiri asked curiously.
"You've got me," I replied. "I didn't really pay attention to who was supposed to be sitting where. Let's see... who isn't here now?"
We both scanned the table, checking to make sure that all the young people of the court we knew was seated. Everyone was there.
"Could the servants have set an extra place by accident?" Amiri asked.
"Doubtful. You know mother; she plans these parties. She makes sure that everything is exactly perfect."
"True enough. So," once again, Amiri's eyes glittered with a trickster's mirth, "this must mean that this is someone new. Oh!"
"What?" I inquired at her exclamation.
"I bet I know who it is!"
"Well, tell me already!"
"Look at the table with out parents... which courtier isn't there?"
I did as she said, quickly running through a checklist of names in my head. Right away I saw who was missing. "The Duke isn't here yet!" I exclaimed, catching on.
"And who's practically the only courtier's child we've never met?"
"Savona's elusive son!"
"Precisely! Tonight must finally be the night we get to meet him!" She paused for a moment. "I hope he's cute," she added.
"You're hopeless!" I sighed, laughing.
The doors opened at that moment, and who should come in but the Duke himself!
"Russav!" Both my father and mother stood to greet the tall, dark haired duke. White teeth flashed in his face as he strode to greet by parents in a warm embrace.
"Sorry we're so late," he apologized in a deep voice, "we had a slight mishap on the way."
"He said 'we'!" Amiri whispered to me, excitement in her voice. Then she gripped my arm as we saw another figure come right behind the Duke.
He was tall for his age, which was probably about the same as mine. His hair was waved and dark as night, a startling contrast to his deep blue eyes. He looked strong and completely familiar.
"That's him!" I whispered as my eyes went round.
"Yes, the Duke's son, we knew that..." Amiri said, confused.
"No, I mean that's him! That's the boy from the forest!"
"Well." Amiri leaned back into her cushion. "He is cute."
I was too shocked to even bother to swat her.
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Yay, that's the chapter! Whoo, that was a long one! Like, 9 pages!!! Go me!!! ::happy dance:: I really like Amiri... she's fun. A little boy-crazy, maybe, but really cool anyways! Hehehe!
Oh man, I can't believe I have so many reviews!!! Geezeums! Um, really sorry that I don't have time to thank each of you personally, but I really only barely have enough time to get this chapter posted!
Thanks go to:
fairydust123, FelSong, Phaerie, Lady Bee, slipper-rose, anna, anonymous, Quiet One, dizzydragon, MintyPill, Wake-Robin, Eylse Bennet, DoubleMint, charmgirl, Alqualyne, and Hollie Black. You guys are all super great!!! Thanks again!
Please please please review! I really wanna know what you all think of this! From here on, things really start to get interesting. Sorry that it took so long to get this updated.... hopefully the next one won't take too long!!!
Zhai'helleva,
*~Brightwind k'Vala~* (Ok, and I think the name change really is permanent this time! Lol!)